The short answer
Yes, you can help your child with Welsh without speaking it yourself. All you need is a calm routine, a couple of good tools and plenty of encouragement. The grammar can be left to a good workbook or a teacher.
At a glance
- Who it's for: parents of children aged 10-14 (Years 5-9) learning Welsh, including at a Welsh-medium school
- Do you need to speak Welsh? No
- How long? About 10 minutes, a few times a week
- The tricky bit: Welsh changes the first letter of some words (called mutations, or treigladau)
Croeso (welcome)!
If your child has come home with Welsh homework and you don't speak the language, you're in very good company. Lots of parents in Cardiff and all over Wales are in exactly the same boat, especially if their child goes to a Welsh-medium school.
I'm Craig, a Welsh teacher, and I've helped plenty of families find their feet. Pop the kettle on (a paned, a cuppa, never hurt anyone) and here are seven things that really help.
1. Can I help with Welsh homework if I don't speak Welsh?
You can, and you're probably better at it than you think. Children don't need you to know the answers. They need you to be interested, to give them a quiet spot to work, and to say da iawn (well done) when they've tried hard. If they're stuck, a simple "Which word are you not sure about?" works wonders.
2. What's the best way to practise Welsh at home?
Little and often. Ten minutes most days beats an hour at the weekend. Pick a regular time, put the phones away, and stop while it still feels easy. As we say in Welsh, cam wrth gam: step by step.
3. What are Welsh mutations (treigladau)?
This is the bit that surprises most parents. In Welsh, the first letter of a word can change depending on the word before it. There are three kinds:
- Soft mutation: cath (cat) becomes y gath (the cat), and Cymru (Wales) becomes i Gymru (to Wales)
- Nasal mutation: Caerdydd (Cardiff) becomes yng Nghaerdydd (in Cardiff)
- Aspirate mutation: tad (father) becomes ei thad (her father)
You don't need to memorise the rules. Just know that a changed first letter is normal in Welsh. It's not a mistake!
4. Which tools give the right Welsh answer?
Online dictionaries such as Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru will tell you what a gair (word) means, whether it's masculine or feminine, and its plural. A spelling and grammar checker such as Cysill is much more reliable than a general translation app, which often gets mutations and idioms wrong.
5. How can I help my child read Welsh aloud?
Welsh spelling is wonderfully regular. Once your child knows the sounds of letters like ll, dd, ff and ch, they can read almost any word aloud. Let them read to you, even if you can't say it all perfectly. They'll enjoy being the expert, and you'll pick up more than you expect.
6. Can my child teach me?
Yes! Ask them to teach you one new word or one rule after each session. Explaining it to you helps them remember it, and it makes Welsh feel like something you do together. You'll soon be saying bore da (good morning) and nos da (good night) with confidence.
7. When should I get a teacher involved?
If Welsh homework often ends in tears, or your child's confidence is slipping, it's a good moment to bring in an athro (teacher). They can spot the gap quickly and fix it. Structured workbooks and online lessons are an easy place to start.
How Learning Bees can help
Learning Bees helps children build confidence in their Welsh language skills. They do the work independently, with extra support and educational resources on demand. You simply support and encourage, without having to speak Welsh yourselves.
- Free level test: find out whether your child should start at Bronze (beginner), Silver (intermediate) or Gold (advanced)
- Workbooks to work through at their own pace, printed or digital, with an online answer guide for parents
- With a subscription: instant help and support by Gwen, your AI study buddy
- With a subscription: a virtual classroom, with a teacher to help them reach their targets
- Every teacher is qualified and DBS checked
Our motto says it all: un cam ar y tro (one step at a time).
Frequently asked questions
Is it hard for English-speaking parents to support Welsh learning?
Less hard than most parents expect. You don't need to speak Welsh. You need to encourage, keep a routine and use good tools.
What is a Welsh mutation?
A mutation is a change to the first letter of a word, depending on the word before it. For example, cath (cat) becomes y gath (the cat).
What age is Learning Bees for?
Children aged 10-14, which is Years 5 to 9 (Key Stages 2 and 3).
Are the workbook instructions in English?
Yes. The instructions are in Welsh and English, so you can support your child without speaking Welsh.
Diolch (thank you) for reading!
About the author. Craig Bee is a Welsh teacher with over 15 years' experience, and the founder of Learning Bees in Cardiff. More about Craig